i'm dealing with symptoms for years, but i have been diagnosed with sle just a month ago. i'm 20. i'm "glad" i finally found out what's my problem, but i don't know much about it. i don't know how to deal with flares. How long are they supposed to last and how often are they supposed to show up. I ask this because, actually, i always have symptoms, and the days in which i fell them all gettin worse just last a few days but are pretty frequent. I never know if it's a lupus flare or somethin' else such as an infection (right now i'm on plaquenil, no immunosuppress. but i'm immunodepressed anyway since i was born with selective iga deficiency)
what d'ya think?

MARYCAIN

01-19-2007, 08:38 AM

Hi, Enrico. Unfortunately, lupus can vary so much from individual to individual that there's no real way to predict how long an episode will last for you. Some people have long periods when the disease is fairly quiet, but others seem to be in a "flare" period all the time with not much change in the level of their symptoms. So you can't really predict what will happen for you based on other peoples' experiences. So managing your overall health by getting plenty of rest, eating a healthy balanced diet, taking your medications as prescribed, reducing stress levels, avoiding sun and UV exposure are all things you can do to minimize flares. And learning as much as you can about lupus is a very positive step - there are several good books available for newly diagnosed patients, and you may be able to find several of them in your local library. Finding a local support group in your area may also help.